Car construction



April 3@, 1946. e. E. DATH U 2,399,2Q9

CAR CONSTRUCTION Filed June 7, 1944 Patented Apr. 30, 1946 George E.Bath, Mokena, 111;, assignoi fto W. H. Miner, Inc., Chicago, 111., acorporation of Delaware Application June 7, 1944, Serial No. 539,046

7 Claims.

This invention. relates to improvements in car construction, and moreparticularly to the center pin connection forrailway car trucks.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved center pinconstruction for railway cars having the usual body and truck bolstersconnected by a headed center pin, the heads of which shoulder againstthe bolsters to connect the bolsters for swiveling movement and lock thesame against vertical separation, wherein the pin. is divided lengthwiseinto sections and is thus contractible to permit the heads of thesections thereof to be passed through the center pin receiving openingsin applying the pin to the'bolsters'.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sectional center pin of,the character indicated, wherein the sections of the pin are providedwith interfittable portions of tongue and groove'formations to permitconstruction of the pin, the tongues of said interfitting formationsserving to hold the sections spread apart to maintain the pin expandedand the heads thereof in shouldered engagement with the bolsters.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a center pin forrailway car trucks comprising two elongated sections or parts extendingthrough the center pin receiving openings of the: bolsters, each sectionor part being headed at the opposite ends to shoulder against saidbolsters. at the openings thereof, wherein the sections are providedwith spaced abutting lugs on their inner sides for holding the samespread apart, and wherein the pin is collapsible to pass through saidcenter pin receiving openings by engaging the lugs of either of saidsections or parts between the lugs of the other section or part.

Other objects of the invention. will more clearly appear from thedescription and claims hereinafter following.

In the drawing forming a part of this specification, Figure I is avertical sectional view, taken lengthwise of the car, throughv the midportions of. the body and truck bolsters of the underframe structure,illustrating my improvements in connection therewith, the center pinbeing shown in elevation. Figure 2 is a view, similar to Figure 1,illustrating the manner of application of the pin to the bolsters of therailway car. Figure 3 is a top plan view of Figure 1'. Figure 4 is abottom plan view of Figure I, looking upwardly in said figure. Figure 5is. atransverse, horizontal sectional view, corresponding substantiallyto the line" 55 of'Figure 1. Figure 6' is'a side elevational View of thecenter pin only, illustrating another embodiment of the invention.

In' said drawing, I 0 indicates the body bolster of the car and -II thetruck bolster. The body bolster is of the cast type and has diaphragmsections l2--|2, topand bottom walls I3 and I4, and a centersection [5to accommodate the center pin. The'section I5 is of cylindrical, tubularform, as shown, and has an annular, inwardly projecting flange it"between the top and bottom ends, thereby providing an annular shoulderIT. The opening l8 defined by this flange is circular in form and ofslightly greater diameter than the shank of the center pin.

'The truck' bolster- H, which is also preferably a casting, has top andbottom walls 20 and 2|,

connecting side webs 22-22, and spaced, vertical- Walls 23-43. Thespaced walls 2 3-23 define a pocket 24 therebetween, which serves toaccommodate the-bottom head of the center pin connecting the bolsters.The topwall of the truck bolster is provided with an upstanding, hollowboss inthe form 'of an annular flange 25, which projects into and isaccommodated within the lower end of the tubular center section I5 ofthe body bolster Hi. The opening 26 defined by the flange 25 is in axialalignment with, and corresponds in diameter to, the opening I8 providedby the flange: it of the tubular section 55 of the bolster [0. The usualbearing plate or shim 21 is interposed between the body and truckbolsters.

Referring first tothe embodiment of the invention illustrated invFigures 1 to 5 inclusive, my improved center pin construction comprisesbroadly twoelongated sections or members A and B, which are headed, atopposite ends. The members .A andB are of the same design, except ashereinafter pointed out.

Each member A and B is of substantially semi-cylindrical cross sectionand is provided at thetop thereof with an eccentric, substantiallysemi-cylindrical, outstanding flange 28, and with a concentric,substantially semi-cylindrical, outstanding flange 29" at the bottom endthereof. As will b evident, the flanges 28 and 29 form top and bottomhead members of the members A and B, which head members are at oppositeends of the shank portions of the same. On the inner side, each member Aand B presents a plurality of horizontally disposed ribs or lugs 30-30,which are in the form of tongues. The rib or lugs 30'30 are alternatedwith grooves or seats '3l3|. The inner vertical faces 32 of the-lugs 30are substantially flat, and in the as-'- bers A and B hold these membersspread apart with the heads or flanges 28-28 overlapping the e annularshoulder l'l provided by the flange l6 of the bod bolster l0 and theflanges 29-29 cooperating with the shoulder presented by the top wall ofthe pocket 24 of the truck bolster H to restrict upward movement of thepin.

The grooves or seats 3l-3l of each member A and B of the pin are of sucha size and depth that they freely accommodate the lugs or tongues 30-30of the other member therewithin, thereby permitting collapse of the pin,as illustrated in FigureZ. l

The eccentric flanges 28-28 at the top ends of the members A and B areof such a size and outside contour that they will pass freely throughthe pin receiving openings of both the body and truck bolsters, when thepin is in contracted condition, that is, when the lugs or ribs 30-30 ofeach member are completely seated within the openings 3I-3l of the othermember, after one of said members has been displaced lengthwise withrespect to the other to an extent to stagger said lugs :or ribs so thatthey are horizontally aligned with-respect to the recesses 3l-3l.

In applyingthe center pin to the car, the same is first collapsed byengaging the lugsof one member between the lugs of the other member,

as illustrated in Figure 2. The collapsed pin is flanges 28 thereof intooverhanging relation tothe shoulder I1, and the member A is permitted todrop to the position shown in Figure 1 with the head 28 thereof engagedwith the shoulder II. :As will be evident, the pin is maintained in,

its spread condition by the interengaging, abut- -ting lugs 30-30thereof; which form, in efiect,

filler members integral with the members A and B, With the heads 28-28,at the upper ends of the members-A and'B; resting on the shoulder I! ofthe body bolster, the pin will be maintained in the spread conditionshown in Figural, looking the bolsters together, The weight of eachmember of the pin will effectively prevent the same from workingupwardlyto a position with respect to the other member thereof, wherein the lugsof these members could slipby each other.

In removing the center pin from the bolsters,-

the operation is substantially the reverse of that described, the memberA being pushed upwardly until thelugs 30-30 thereof are in transversealignment with therseats 3l-3l of the member B and the pin is thencollapsed by laterally contracting the same, and withdrawn from thebolsters,

Referring next tothe embodiment of the, in-

vention illustrated in Figure 6, the construction,

is identical with that shown in Figures 1 to hinclusive, with theexception that each member of the pin is provided with only two spaceror filler lugs or ribs, one at each end of the same, insteadof a seriesof lugs or ribs arranged lengthwise of each member.

The improved center pin illustrated in Figure 6 comprises two likemembers, which are indicated by C and D. Each member C and D has alaterally disposed lug or rib I30 at each end thereof projecting fromthe inner side of said member and abutting the corresponding-lug or ribof the other member. The lugs or ribs [30-l 30 are identical with thelugs or ribs 30-30 hereinbefore described and function in a similarmanner. Each member C and D is headed at opposite ends, said heads beingindicated by I28 and I29, respectively, and being identical with theheads 28 and 29 of the members A and B hereinbefore described inconnection with Figures 1 to 5 inclusive.

Although the improved center pins illustrated in Figures 1 to 5inclusive and Figure 6 have been will have the flanges 129-120. at thetop and,

the flanges [28-128 at the bottom,

As will be evident from the preceding description taken in connectionwith the drawing, in my improved design of center pin construction,advantage is taken of the usual play or clearance provided between theheads of the pin and the shoulders of the bolsters to permit relativelongitudinal displacement of the members ofthe sectional pin inassembling the same with the bolsters.

I have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferredmanner of carrying out my invention but the same is merely illustrativeand.

I contemplate all changes and modifications that come within the scopeof the claims appended hereto,

1 claim: 7 l 1. In car construction, the combination with body and truckbolsters having aligned center pin receiving openings; of a sectional,collapsible center pin insertable in said openings in collapsedcondition, said pin comprising a plurality of members extending throughsaidopenings and having heads at opposite ends, 'an'd laterallyinwardlyrprojecting spreading lugs on each of said members, said lugshaving fiat vertical inner end faces, said lugs being in abutment witheach other on said flat faces to hold said members spread apart, saidpin being insertable as a unit through said openings when in collapsedcondition with the lugs thereof inwardly overlapped and staggeredlengthwise.

2. In car construction, the combination with body and truck bolstershaving aligned centerj pin receiving openings; of a sectionalcontractible, center pininsertable in said openings in contractedcondition, said pin comprising a plurality of elongated membersextending through said openings and having heads at opposite ends, eachmember having laterally inwardly projecting spreading lugs arranged inseries lengthwise of said member with seats between said lugs, said lugshaving flat vertical inner end faces, said lugs. holding said membersspread apart when brought into transverse alignment in abuttingrelationltol maintain shouldered engagement between the heads of saidmembers and the bolsters, and said pin being contracted for insertion asa unit in said bolster openings by seating of the lugs of each sectionin the seats of the other section.

3. In car construction, the combination with body and truck bolstershaving aligned center pin receiving openings; of a two part sectionalcenter pin for locking said bolsters together, each part comprising anelongated member headed at opposite ends, each of said members havinglaterally inwardly projecting spreading lugs at opposite ends, said lugshaving flat vertical inner end faces, said lugs being in horizontalalignment and in lateral abutment with each other on said flat faces tohold said pin expanded, said pin being contractible for insertion of theparts thereof as a unit within said openings, by laterally overlappingsaid lugs.

4. In car construction, the combination with body and truck bolstershaving aligned center pin receiving openings; of a two part sectionalcenter pin for locking said bolsters together, each part comprising anelongated member headed at opposite ends, each member having laterallyprojecting lugs on the inner side thereof alternated with seats adaptedto receive the lugs of the other member, said lugs having verticallyextending flat inner end faces, the lugs of said members being in end toend abutment on said flat faces for holding said members spread apart todispose the heads thereof in shouldered engagement with the bolsters andlock the bolsters together, said pin being contracted for applicationand removal through the bolster openings by seating said lugs of eachmember in the seats of the other member.

5. In car construction, the combination with body and truck bolstershaving aligned center pin receiving openings; of a two part sectionalcenter pin insertable in said openings, each part comprising anelongated member headed at opposite ends, the inner sides presentingvertically extending flat faces, said inner sides of said memhere beingin abutment with each other to hold said pin expanded, said inner sidesof said members being notched to provide alternate offsets anddepressions arranged to interfit to eirect contraction of said pin topermit insertion through the center pin receiving openings in applyingthe pin to the bolsters.

6. In car construction, the combination with body and truck bolstershaving aligned center pin receiving openings; of a two part sectionalcenter pin insertable in said openings, said pin being headed atopposite ends, said pin being split lengthwise into two members;interfitting lugs and notches on said members respectively, permittingcollapse of said pin when interfitted to allow insertion of said pin asa unit in said center pin receiving openings, said lugs of said twomembers having fiat, vertically extending, inner end faces, said lugsholding said members spread apart when brought into abutment with eachother, thereby maintaining the heads of said members in shoulderedengagement with the bolsters.

'7. In car construction, the combination with body and truck bolstershaving aligned center pin receiving openings; of a two part sectionalcenter pin engaged in said openings for locking the bolsters together,said pin being headed at opposite ends, said pin being split lengthwiseinto two members, each of said members having laterally inwardlyprojecting, horizontally disposed, vertically spaced tongues, alternatedwith grooves adapted to accommodate the tongues of the other member topermit contraction of said pin, said tongues of said two members havingfiat, vertically extending, inner end faces, said tongues being inhorizontal transverse alignment and in abutting relation on said fiatfaces to hold said members spread apart when the parts of the headportions at each end of the pin are in horizontal transverse alignment.

GEORGE E. DATH.

